Curable and hygroscopic resin composition for sealing electronic devices, resin cured material, and electronic device

ABSTRACT

A curable and hygroscopic resin composition for sealing electronic devices, comprising: a cationically polymerizable compound (a); a hygroscopic compound (b) containing a structure represented by Formula (1); and a cationic polymerization initiator (c); a resin cured material formed by curing the composition, and an electronic device sealed by curing the composition. 
     
       
         
         
             
             
         
       
         
         
           
             wherein in Formula (1), R designates (i) an acyl group, (ii) a hydrocarbon group, or (iii) a group having at least one selected from the group consisting of —O—, —S—, —CO—, and —NH—, between a carbon-carbon bond of the above-described hydrocarbon group; M designates a boron or aluminum atom; n is an integer of 2 to 20; and *1 and *2 each designate a binding site to a terminal group or are bonded to each other.

CROSS-REFERENCE TO RELATED APPLICATIONS

This application is a Continuation of PCT International Application No. PCT/JP2016/069815 filed on Jul. 4, 2016, which claims priority under 35 U.S.C. § 119 (a) to Japanese Patent Application No. 2015-143815 filed in Japan on Jul. 21, 2015. Each of the above applications is hereby expressly incorporated by reference, in its entirety, into the present application.

TECHNICAL FIELD

The present invention relates to a curable and hygroscopic resin composition for sealing electronic devices, which is capable of forming a resin cured material providing a high sealing property, a resin cured material, and electronic devices sealed with this resin cured material. In particular, the present invention relates to a sealing of constituent members of the electronic devices, such as an organic electronic device, an organic light-emitting element (organic EL element), a touch panel, a light-emitting diode (LED), and a solar cell.

BACKGROUND ART

The organic light-emitting element, which is one example of electronic devices, has a problem with a gradual deterioration of the emission properties, such as emission brightness and emission efficiency, caused by the use thereof. Examples of the causes thereof include organic matter denaturation and electrode oxidation, due to moisture or the like penetrated into the organic light-emitting element. Such deterioration problem due to moisture is also found in electronic devices other than the organic light-emitting element in common.

In this regards, studies have been made on various techniques for suppressing deterioration of electronic devices, by sealing the electronic devices, and preventing moisture or the like from penetrating into the electronic devices. Further, studies also have been made on techniques for capturing moisture having penetrated into electronic devices, by using hygroscopic substances.

Further, recently, in the field of the organic light-emitting devices, by adapting the solid sealing structure in which a gap between an organic light-emitting-element substrate and a sealing substrate is completely filled with a resin cured material, the thickness of the organic electronic device is further thinned, and an interface reflection of the substrate is suppressed, whereby improvement in visibility has been made.

As an example of the composition which is able to form a solid sealing structure and contains a hygroscopic substance, for example, Patent Literature 1 discloses moisture absorbents containing an ultraviolet curing agent (including a translucent monomer and a polymerization initiator) and a moisture absorbing substance composed of an organic metal compound having a particular structure, in which an acrylate and/or a methacrylate is used as said monomer. Further, Patent Literature 2 discloses a composition for forming a thermosetting moisture capture body, which contains a hygroscopic compound having a particular structure and a curable monomer.

The above-described solid sealing structure is, in a general way, formed by filling and curing a sealing resin composition containing a polymerizable compound and a polymerization initiator in between an organic light-emitting element substrate and a sealing substrate. However, the organic light-emitting layer or the like of the organic light-emitting element is susceptible to damage due to heating or ultraviolet irradiation at the time of curing the sealing resin composition.

For this reason, a means for decreasing the damage due to the heating or the ultraviolet irradiation has been studied. As one of this means, a delayed curing-type curable composition which secures a sufficient pot-life (a workable time after the start of curing of the curable composition due to light irradiation or initial heating) after the light irradiation or the heating is studied. If such delayed curing-type curable composition is used as a filler for sealing an organic light-emitting element, it is possible to adopt a method for reducing a degree to which the organic light-emitting element is exposed to an ultraviolet ray or heat at the time of curing the sealing resin composition. For example, a resin cured material which seals the organic light-emitting element can be formed, by coating said curable composition on a sealing substrate and, after light irradiation or initial heating for activating a polymerization initiator, laminating an organic light-emitting element substrate thereon within its pot-life, or alternatively by preliminarily activating a polymerization initiator with light irradiation or initial heating, before filling said curable composition in between substrates having a moisture-proof property, and then filling said curable composition in between the substrates within its pot-life, and thereafter, curing the curable composition. As a curing retarder that gives a delayed curing property, various kinds of compounds are studied. Patent Literature 3 discloses a sealant for organic EL display elements, and also discloses that polyether compounds and the like may be used as a curing retarder in the sealant.

CITATION LIST Patent Literatures

-   Patent Literature 1: JP-A-2005-298598 (“JP-A” means unexamined     published Japanese patent application) -   Patent Literature 2: JP-A-2013-108057 -   Patent Literature 3: JP-A-2014-225380

SUMMARY OF INVENTION Technical Problem

In each of the compositions described in Patent Literatures 1 to 3, suppression of deterioration due to moisture that penetrates into electronic devices is unsatisfactory, and therefore there was a room for improvement in the sealing property.

Further, in any of the compositions described in Patent Literatures 1 and 2, sometimes a polymerization reaction progressed during storage, or a hygroscopic behavior occurred during work, and therefore there was a room to improve storage stability and handling.

Specifically, the present invention was made under the above circumstances, and is contemplated to provide a curable and hygroscopic resin composition for sealing electronic devices, which is able to form a resin cured material exhibiting an excellent sealing property, and also which is excellent in handling and storage stability.

Further, the present invention is contemplated to provide a curable and hygroscopic resin composition which has the above-described characteristics and further which is a delayed cure type.

Further, the present invention is contemplated to provide a resin cured material and an electronic device, which have been embodied by using the above-described curable and hygroscopic resin composition for sealing electronic devices.

Solution to Problem

The present inventors conducted intensive studies on sealing methods that use resin cured materials. The present inventors found that a resin cured material obtained by curing a curable and hygroscopic resin composition which used a cationically polymerizable compound, a hygroscopic compound having a particular structure, and a cationic polymerization initiator is excellent in a sealing property.

Further, this curable and hygroscopic resin composition was also excellent in both handling and storage stability.

Furthermore, the present inventors found that, in a case of a particular composition, this curable and hygroscopic resin composition exhibits a delayed curing property in addition to the above-described characteristics. It is believed that this is because the above-described hygroscopic compound having a particular structure acts similarly to a curing retarder in the above-described delayed cure.

That is, the problems of the present invention were solved by the following means.

(1) A curable and hygroscopic resin composition for sealing electronic devices, comprising:

a cationically polymerizable compound (a);

a hygroscopic compound (b) containing a structure represented by Formula (1); and

a cationic polymerization initiator (c):

wherein, in formula (1), R designates (i) an acyl group, (ii) a hydrocarbon group, or (iii) a group having at least one selected from the group consisting of —O—, —S—, —CO—, and —NH—, between a carbon-carbon bond of the above-described hydrocarbon group; provided that, a part of hydrogen atoms, which the forgoing groups (i), (ii) and (iii) each have, may be substituted with a hydroxyl group, a halogen atom or a cyano group; M designates a boron atom or an aluminum atom; n is an integer of 2 to 20; plural R's and M's may be the same or different from each other, respectively; and *1 and *2 each designate a binding site to a terminal group or are bonded to each other.

(2) The curable and hygroscopic resin composition for sealing electronic devices as described in the above item (1), wherein the cationically polymerizable compound (a) is an epoxy compound, a vinyl ether compound or an oxetane compound.

(3) The curable and hygroscopic resin composition for sealing electronic devices as described in the above item (1) or (2), further comprising a solvent (d); wherein the boiling point of the solvent (d) is 100° C. or more.

(4) The curable and hygroscopic resin composition for sealing electronic devices as described in any one of the above items (1) to (3), wherein the cationically polymerizable compound (a) has one or more alicyclic skeletons.

(5) The curable and hygroscopic resin composition for sealing electronic devices as described in the above item (4), wherein the alicyclic skeleton is at least one of a tricyclodecane skeleton and a hydrogenated bisphenol A skeleton.

(6) The curable and hygroscopic resin composition for sealing electronic devices as described in any one of the above items (1) to (5), wherein, in Formula (1), *1 and *2 are bonded to each other.

(7) The curable and hygroscopic resin composition for sealing electronic devices as described in any one of the above items (1) to (6), wherein a ratio by mass of the hygroscopic compound (b) to the cationic polymerization initiator (c) is from 0.5 to 5.

(8) A resin cured material formed by curing the curable and hygroscopic resin composition for sealing electronic devices described in any one of the above items (1) to (7).

(9) An electronic device sealed by curing the curable and hygroscopic resin composition for sealing electronic devices described in any one of the above items (1) to (7).

(10) An electronic device, which is sealed with the resin cured material as described in the above item (8).

In the present invention, the numerical range expressed by using the expression “to” means a range including numerical values before and after the expression “to” as the lower limit and the upper limit.

Further, in the present invention, the term “(meth)acrylate” may be any of a methacrylate and an acrylate, and is used as a collective term. Accordingly, this term includes either one of a methacrylate and an acrylate, and a mixture thereof.

Further, the description of a compound is used in meaning including, in addition to the compound itself, its salt, its ion and its ester. Further, the compound whose substitution or non-substitution is not implicitly expressed in writing means a compound having an arbitrary substituent within the extent which does not undermine the intended efficacy. This applies to the substituent and the like.

Advantageous Effects of Invention

The curable and hygroscopic resin composition for sealing electronic devices of the present invention contains a cationically polymerizable compound, a hygroscopic compound having a specific structure, and a cationic polymerization initiator. A cured material of this sealing resin composition allows suppression of deterioration due to moisture, by sealing therewith constituent members of the electronic device.

Further, in the curable and hygroscopic resin composition for sealing electronic devices of the present invention, deterioration of the sealing property in the preservation thereof is suppressed, whereby excellent storage stability is achieved.

Further, the curable and hygroscopic resin composition for sealing electronic devices of the present invention is excellent in handling, and a hygroscopic performance of the composition does not deteriorate, even if the composition is not handled under extremely dry environment such as a glove box and the like.

According to a preferable embodiment in which a content of each component of the curable and hygroscopic resin composition for sealing electronic devices of the present invention has been respectively set to a particular amount, although a curing is initiated by an ultraviolet irradiation or an initial heating, its curing rate is very slow, whereby a sufficient pot-life can be secured. Further, this curing rate can be controlled by heating. Accordingly, a sealing can be performed by, before or after coating it on a substrate surface, subjecting the curable and hygroscopic resin composition for sealing electronic devices to an ultraviolet irradiation or an initial heating, and then laminating an element substitute and a sealing substitute so as to sandwich it between them, and further conducting heating. This allows reduction in damage to the element.

Other and further features and advantages of the invention will appear more fully from the following description, appropriately referring to the accompanying drawings.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing an embodiment in which an organic light-emitting element is sealed with a cured material of the curable and hygroscopic resin composition for sealing electronic devices of the present invention.

FIG. 2 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing one embodiment in which an organic light-emitting element is sealed with a cured material of the curable and hygroscopic resin composition for sealing electronic devices of the present invention, together with a spacer, for a uniform sealing.

FIG. 3 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing another embodiment in which an organic light-emitting element is sealed with a cured material of the curable and hygroscopic resin composition for sealing electronic devices of the present invention.

FIG. 4 is a schematic cross-sectional view showing still another embodiment in which an organic light-emitting element is sealed with a cured material of the curable and hygroscopic resin composition for sealing electronic devices of the present invention.

FIG. 5(a) is a view through the intermediary of a glass substrate, showing a test specimen to be used for a calcium corrosion test, and FIG. 5(b) is a view through the intermediary of a glass substrate, showing a corroded state of four corners of a metal calcium layer in the test specimen used for a calcium corrosion test.

MODE FOR CARRYING OUT THE INVENTION

Hereinafter, the curable and hygroscopic resin composition for sealing electronic devices of the present invention (hereinafter, also referred to simply as a sealing resin composition) and its preferable embodiments, are described in detail with reference to figures. Note that, the embodiments of the present invention are not limited thereto.

The sealing resin composition of the present invention is used, for example, to seal an organic light-emitting element 3 in an organic light-emitting device 5, as shown in FIG. 1. More specifically, the sealing resin composition is provided as a resin cured material 2 between an organic light-emitting element 3 provided on an element substrate 4, and a sealing substrate 1. In this way, the organic light-emitting element 3 is air-tightly sealed with the element substrate 4 and the sealing substrate 1, so that an organic light-emitting device 5 having a solid adhesion sealing structure is obtained. The above description has been given taking the organic light-emitting devices as an example. However the sealing resin composition of the present invention can be used for a variety of electronic devices. Examples of the electronic devices include an organic EL display, an organic EL lighting, an organic semiconductor, and an organic solar cell. Note that the resin cured material 2 means a cured material formed by curing the sealing resin composition of the present invention.

«Curable and Hygroscopic Resin Composition for Sealing Electronic Devices»

The sealing resin composition of the present invention is a sealing resin composition containing a cationically polymerizable compound (a), a hygroscopic compound (b) having a structure represented by Formula (1) described below, and a cationic polymerization initiator (c).

In the present invention, by using a cationically polymerizable compound (a), a hygroscopic compound (b) containing a structure represented by Formula (1), and a cationic polymerization initiator (c) in combination, a sealing resin composition which is excellent in both storage stability and handling can be prepared, and by forming a resin cured material therefrom, an excellent sealing property can be achieved.

Further, in one of preferable embodiments of the present invention, a sealing resin composition can be formed as a delayed cure type sealing resin composition.

If a cationically polymerizable compound is used, a polymerization reaction progresses even after light irradiation, unlike with the case of using a radical polymerizable compound. Further, hydroxyl groups contained in the sealing resin composition bring a growth reaction to a halt, acting as a chain transfer agent, thereby lowering a molecular weight of the polymeric polymer. Accordingly, from the viewpoint of quality control of the resin cured material, it is preferable that the amount of moisture in the resin cured material is controlled.

<Cationically Polymerizable Compound (a)>

The cationically polymerizable compound (a) is not particularly limited, as long as it initiates a polymerization reaction by the addition of a cation such as a proton generated from a polymerization initiator with light or heat.

Examples of the cationically polymerizable compound (a) include an epoxy compound (glycidyl ether compounds, alicyclic epoxy compounds, internal epoxy compounds (compounds having epoxy groups at the inside of the molecular chain, as distinct from the end of the molecular chain, such as an epoxidized oil), and the like), an oxetane compound, a vinyl ether compound, and a cyclic carbonate compound (a molecule in which a structure containing a carbonate group forms a ring with a C—C bond). Among these, an epoxy compound, a vinyl ether compound, an oxetane compound are preferable; and a glycidyl ether compound, an alicyclic epoxy compound, an oxetane compound, and a vinyl ether compound are more preferable. Further, it is preferable that the cationically polymerizable compound (a) is not any organic silicon compound.

It is believed that when compared to a resin obtained from an acrylate compound, a resin obtained from these compounds generally causes smaller cure shrinkage, and therefore causes smaller stress strain, which results in a good adhesion to an adherend.

The molecular weight of the cationically polymerizable compound (a) is preferably less than 1,000. The lower limit of the molecular weight of the cationically polymerizable compound (a) is not particularly limited, but is preferably 200 or more.

It is more preferable that the cationically polymerizable compound (a) in the present invention contains at least one polymerizable functional group and at least one alicyclic skeleton (excluding those corresponding to the foregoing polymerizable functional group). Incorporation of the alicyclic skeleton allows more efficient suppression of deterioration of an electronic device due to a water molecule, when the electronic device is sealed. Although this reason is unknown yet, a supposable reason is as follows. By polymerization of the cationically polymerizable compound through a polymerization reaction, bulky and rigid structures of the alicyclic skeleton are proximally positioned in a resin cured material, whereby passing of the water molecule in the resin cured material can be delayed. As a result, the water vapor transmission rate (WVTR) is decreased and a water vapor barrier property is increased. Deterioration of the electronic devices sealed with the foregoing resin due to a water molecule can be suppressed.

In order to lower the water vapor transmission rate, it is more preferable that at least two alicyclic skeletons are incorporated in the cationically polymerizable compound molecule. Similarly, it is more preferable that at least two polymerizable functional groups are incorporated in the cationically polymerizable compound molecule.

Specific examples of the polymerizable functional group include cyclic ethers, such as an epoxy group and an oxetanyl group; cyclic amines; and vinyl groups, such as a vinyl ether group, a vinylidene group and a vinylene group.

As the alicyclic skeleton, a cyclohexane skeleton, a decalin skeleton, a norbornane skeleton, a dicyclopentane skeleton, a tricyclodecane skeleton, a hydrogenated bisphenol A skeleton and a hydrogenated bisphenol F skeleton are preferable; and a tricyclodecane skeleton and a hydrogenated bisphenol A skeleton are more preferable.

As the cationically polymerizable compound (a), an epoxy compound having an alicyclic skeleton is preferable. The epoxy compound having an alicyclic skeleton is further classified into an alicyclic polyalcohol polyglycidyl ether type in which a cyclic aliphatic group and a glycidyl ether group are combined, and a cycloalkene oxide type which is obtained by oxidation of cycloalkene. Of these compounds, an alicyclic polyalcohol polyglycidyl ether type is preferable.

Examples of the cationically polymerizable compound include hydrogenated bisphenol A diglycidyl ether, hydrogenated bisphenol F diglycidyl ether, 1,4-cyclohexanedimethanol diglycidyl ether, and dicyclopentadienedimethanol diglycidyl ether.

As the cationically polymerizable compound, the following articles can be preferably used.

-   -   Alkyl-epoxy compounds: ED-502, ED-509E, ED-509S, ED-503 and         ED-503G (each trade name, manufactured by ADEKA Corporation)     -   Polyether-epoxy compounds: SR-2EG, SR-8EG, SR-8EGS, SR-16H,         SR-16HL, SR-GLG, SR-PG, SR-TPG and SgR-4PG (each trade name,         manufactured by SAKAMOTO YAKUHIN KOGYO CO., LTD.); ST-3000         (trade name, manufactured by Nippon Steel Chemical Co., Ltd.);         and EPOLIGHT 1500NP and EPOLIGHT 1600 (each trade name,         manufactured by Kyoeisha Chemical Co., Ltd.)     -   Oxetane compounds: OXT-101, OXT-121, OXT-211, OXT-212 and         OXT-221 (each trade name, manufactured by TOAGOSEI CO., LTD.);         and ETERNACOLL (registered trademark) OXMA and OXBP (each trade         name, manufactured by Ube Industries, Ltd.)     -   Vinyl ether compounds: YED series 111N, 111AN, 122, 188, 216M         and 216D (each trade name, manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical         Corporation); TEGDVE, DPGDVE and BDVE (each trade name,         manufactured by NIPPON CARBIDE INDUSTRIES CO., INC.); TDMDVE,         DCPDVE, EHDVE and TDVE (each trade name, manufactured by Maruzen         Petrochemical Co., Ltd.); and ONB-DVE, OXT-DVE and 4CH-DVE (each         trade name, manufactured by Daicel Corporation)     -   Compounds having a cyclohexane skeleton: ZX-1658GS (manufactured         by NIPPON STEEL & SUMIKIN CHEMICAL CO., LTD.); DME-100 (trade         name, manufactured by New Japan Chemical Co., Ltd.); and         CEL2021P, CEL2081 and CEL2000 (each trade name, manufactured by         Daicel Corporation)     -   Compounds having a tricyclodecane skeleton: epoxy compounds such         as dicyclopentadiene dimethanol diglycidyl ether EP-4088S,         dicyclopentadiene dimethanol diglycidyl ether EP-4088L (each         trade name, manufactured by ADEKA Corporation), HP-7200,         HP-7200L, HP-7200H, HP-7200HH and HP-7200HHH (each trade name,         manufactured by DIC Corporation); vinyl ether compounds such as         DCPD-VE and TCD-VE (each trade name, manufactured by Maruzen         Petrochemical Co., Ltd.); and compounds described in         JP-A-10-25262, “polyfunctional vinyl ether, polymerizable         composition, and cured material thereof”.     -   Compounds having a hydrogenated bisphenol A skeleton: epoxy         compounds such as YX-8000 and YX-8034 (each trade name,         manufactured by Mitsubishi Chemical Corporation), EPICLON750         (trade name, manufactured by DIC Corporation), SR-HBA (trade         name, manufactured by SAKAMOTO YAKUHIN KOGYO CO., LTD.),         EPOLIGHT 4000 (trade name, manufactured by Kyoeisha Chemical         Co., Ltd.), and RIKARESIN HBE-100 (trade name, manufactured by         New Japan Chemical Co., Ltd.)

The content of the cationically polymerizable compound (a) is preferably 50% by mass or more in 100% by mass of the sealing resin composition, for increasing a water vapor barrier property. In order to maintain a good water vapor barrier property due to a sufficient degree of cross-linkage, the content of the cationically polymerizable compound (a) is more preferably 70% by mass or more in 100% by mass of the sealing resin composition. It is more preferable that the content of the cationically polymerizable compound (a) exceeds 80% by mass in 100% by mass of the sealing resin composition, because if it is the case, not only excellent water-vapor barrier property is achieved, but also impact protection performance for the sealed light-emitting element is achieved.

The content of the cationically polymerizable compound (a) is preferably 99.8% by mass or less in 100% by mass of the sealing resin composition. It is more preferable that the content of the cationically polymerizable compound (a) is 90% by mass or less in 100% by mass of the sealing resin composition, because if this is the case, flexibility of the film obtained by curing the sealing resin composition is good.

Further, in order to adjust a viscosity of the sealing resin composition, a low-molecular (meth)acrylate compound may be further added thereto.

As the compound for viscosity adjustment, the following compounds can be used.

-   -   (Meth)acrylate compounds: SR833 (trade name, manufactured by         ARKEMA); A-DCP and DCP (each trade name, manufactured by Shin         Nakamura Chemical Co., Ltd.); LIGHT ACRYLATE DCP-A (trade name,         manufactured by Kyoeisha Chemical Co., Ltd.); and         dicyclopentenyl acrylate FA-511AS, dicyclopentenyloxyethyl         acrylate FA-512AS, dicyclopentanyl acrylate FA-513AS,         dicyclopentenyloxyethyl methacrylate FA-512M,         dicyclopentenyloxyethyl methacrylate FA-512MT and         dicyclopentanyl methacrylate FA-513M (each trade name,         manufactured by Hitachi Chemical Company, Ltd.)

Further in order to give flexibility to the sealing resin composition, a (meth)acrylate monomer in which an end of the polyolefin such as polybutadiene has been (meth)acrylated through an ester bond or a urethane bond, or a glycidyl ether in which an end of the polyolefin such as polybutadiene has been subjected to glycidyl etherification through an ether bond, each of which has a molecular weight of 1,000 to 100,000, may be appropriately blended thereto as a flexibilizer. Specific examples thereof include TE-1000, TEAI-2000, EMA-3000, JP-100 and JP-200 (each trade name, manufactured by Nippon Soda Co., Ltd.); and EPOLEAD PB4700 (trade name, manufactured by Daicel Corporation).

The above-described compound for viscosity adjustment and a flexibilizer may be appropriately used within an amount in which an effect of the curable resin composition of the present invention is obtained.

<Hygroscopic Compound (b)>

The hygroscopic compound (b) is a compound containing a structure represented by Formula (1).

The resin cured material containing this hygroscopic compound (b) has a good hygroscopic property. This is estimated to be due to the property by which M-OR of the hygroscopic compound (b) reacts with moisture to produce M-OH. Hereinafter, the hygroscopic compound (b) is described in detail.

In the above-described Formula (1), R designates (i) an acyl group, (ii) a hydrocarbon group, or (iii) a group having at least one selected from the group consisting of —O—, —S—, —CO—, and —NH—, between a carbon-carbon bond of the above-described hydrocarbon group. However, a part of hydrogen atoms, which the forgoing groups (i), (ii) and (iii) each have, may be substituted with a hydroxyl group, a halogen atom or a cyano group. M designates a boron atom or an aluminum atom. n is an integer of 2 to 20. Plural R's and M's may be the same or different from each other, respectively. *1 and *2 each designate a binding site to the terminal group or are bonded to each other.

The carbon number of each of (i) the acyl group, (ii) the hydrocarbon group, or (iii) the group having at least one selected from the group consisting of —O—, —S—, —CO—, and —NH—, between a carbon-carbon bond of (ii) the hydrocarbon group, all of which are designated by the above-described R, is preferably from 1 to 30. From the aspect of compatibility with a cationically polymerizable compound (a), the carbon number of R is preferably 20 or less, more preferably 10 or less, still more preferably 8 or less, and particularly preferably 7 or less. Further, the carbon number of R is preferably 2 or more, and more preferably 5 or more in order to prevent from occurrence of outgassing, and to prevent electronic devices from deterioration due to migration of compounds such as alcohols, carboxylic acid and the like derived from the above-described R, which are caused by moisture absorption.

Examples of (i) the acyl group described above include a propenoyl group, a propanoyl group, a hexyloyl group, an octyloyl group, and a stearoyl group.

The (ii) hydrocarbon group is a monovalent hydrocarbon group, and may be linear, branched or cyclic. Examples of the hydrocarbon group include an alkyl group, a cycloalkyl group, an alkenyl group and a cycloalkenyl group. Specific examples thereof include an i-propyl group, a sec-butyl group and an octyl group.

Examples of the above-described (iii) group having at least one selected from the group consisting of —O—, —S—, —CO—, and —NH—, between a carbon-carbon bond of (ii) the hydrocarbon group include those having a structure of -alkylene group-L-alkyl group, or -alkylene group-L-alkylene group-L-alkyl group, proving that —O—, —S—, —CO—, or —NH— is designated by L.

A part of hydrogen atoms, which the forgoing groups (i), (ii) and (iii) each have, may be substituted with a hydroxyl group, a halogen atom or a cyano group. In this case, examples of the halogen atom include a fluorine atom, a chlorine atom, a bromine atom, and an iodine atom.

From the viewpoint of suppressing the outgassing, R is preferably (i) an acyl group.

M designates a boron atom or an aluminum atom. M is preferably an aluminum atom.

n is an integer of 1 to 20, preferably an integer of 2 to 20, more preferably an integer of 2 to 15, and further preferably an integer of 3 to 10.

To each of the sites *1 and *2 in the structure represented by the above-described Formula (1), an end group such as an organic group and the like may be bonded, or the above-described sites *1 and *2 may be bonded to each other to form a ring structure. However, it is preferable that the above-described sites *1 and *2 are bonded to each other to form a ring structure.

Examples of the terminal group include a hydroxy group and an acyl group.

The hygroscopic compound (b) may be a linear compound or a cyclic compound.

The hygroscopic compound (b) preferably includes a 6-membered ring of a cyclic aluminoxane compound having the structure represented by the following formula (n in the above-described Formula (1) is 3) (hereinafter, this cyclic aluminoxane compound is also referred to as “a particular cyclic aluminoxane compound”). It is considered that a cured material obtained from the sealing resin composition of the present invention exhibits an excellent adhesion property on the grounds that such hygroscopic compound contains the above-described particular cyclic aluminoxane compound. This is thought of as being the reason that such hygroscopic compound has a moderate compatibility with the cationically polymerizable compound (a) and gives an adhesive property to the sealing resin composition.

R¹ has the same meaning as R in Formula (1).

Examples of the specific compound include aluminum oxide isopropoxide trimer (ALGOMAER), aluminum oxide hexylate trimer (ALGOMAER 600AF), aluminum oxide octylate trimer (ALGOMAER 800AF), and aluminum oxide stearate trimer (ALGOMAER 1000SF) (trade name in each parenthesis, manufactured by Kawaken Fine Chemicals Co., Ltd.).

For removal of moisture in the sealing resin composition, the content of the hygroscopic compound (b) is preferably 0.1% by mass or more in 100% by mass of the sealing resin composition.

If the content of the hygroscopic compound (b) is 50% by mass or less in 100% by mass of the sealing resin composition, a water-vapor barrier property of the resin cured material is not excessively decreased, so that this provides a good balance between suppression of moisture entry into the resin cured material and capture of moisture by the hygroscopic compound (b). In order to keep a good sealing property by the balance between suppression of moisture penetration into the resin cured material and capture of moisture by the hygroscopic compound (b), the content of the hygroscopic compound (b) is more preferably 20% by mass or less.

It is conceivable that the hygroscopic compound (b) also acts as an inhibitor against the cationic polymerization initiator. From the viewpoint of obtaining a delayed cure type sealing resin composition, the hygroscopic compound (b) is preferably added thereto in a proportion of at least 1% by mass in 100% by mass of the sealing resin composition. With the addition in this way, even if the sealing resin composition is subjected to heating or light irradiation, the curing is not caused instantly, but a polymerization reaction gradually progresses while keeping viscosity of the composition low.

If the content of the hygroscopic compound (b) is 10% by mass or less in 100% by mass of the sealing resin composition, the content of the cationic polymerization initiator (c) necessary to cause the curing due to heating after light irradiation or initial heating also does not increases, whereby a good water-vapor barrier property is obtained.

The mechanism of this curing inhibition is estimated as follows. As one mechanism, it is conceivable that the light absorption wavelength overlaps between a hygroscopic compound (b) represented by Formula (1) and a polymerization initiator of the type initiating polymerization by light irradiation, so that the hygroscopic compound (b) reduces a photofragmentation energy amount which the polymerization initiator absorbs. As another mechanism, it is conceivable that active cationic species generated from the cationic polymerization initiator is captured by an oxygen atom of -M-O— of the hygroscopic compound (b) and resultantly becomes non-reactive with an oxygen atom of the cationically polymerizable compound (a) such as an epoxy compound, an oxetane compound, and a vinyl ether compound. For this reason, by further heating after light irradiation or initial heating for the start of the curing, the active cationic species is released from the hygroscopic compound (b) and is permitted to react with the cationically polymerizable compound (a), which allows polymerization to progress.

Note that Patent Literature 3 discloses a polyether compound and the like as a curing retarder for the cationic polymerization. However, the hygroscopic compound (b) represented by the above-described Formula (1) also acts as a hygroscopic compound, and therefore is able to react with moisture which has penetrated to the resin after sealing, in contrast to a polyol and a polyether compound such as a crown ether.

In this way, by using a photo-cationic polymerization initiator and a hygroscopic compound (b) in combination, it becomes possible to seal the organic light-emitting element in accordance with the following processes of, after subjecting a sealing resin composition to an ultraviolet irradiation, coating the sealing resin composition on a sealing substrate or an organic light-emitting element substrate, and thereafter superposing it on the other substrate, and then heating them. In other words, a direct light irradiation to the organic light-emitting element becomes unnecessary, so that it becomes possible to prevent the organic light-emitting element from deterioration due to an ultraviolet ray.

Also in the embodiment of using a heat-cationic polymerization initiator, by carrying out the initial heating in place of the ultraviolet irradiation, a polymerization initiator can be activated, and if needed, thereafter a curing rate can be modulated by further heating.

For the purpose of obtaining a delayed cure type sealing resin composition by using the curing inhibition mechanism as described above, a hygroscopic compound (b) and a polyalkyleneoxide compound may be used in combination.

<Cationic Polymerization Initiator (c)>

As the cationic polymerization initiator (c), a cationic polymerization initiator which produces a cation by light or heat is used.

The cationic polymerization initiator absorbs an energy by light irradiation or heating, whereby the cationic polymerization initiator decomposes to generate a Brønsted acid or a Lewis acid, and monomers are polymerized due to this cation.

The cationic polymerization initiator is a salt consisting mainly of an onium ion (cationic component) and a non-nucleophilic anionic component.

Examples of the cationic component include: those consisting mainly of the periodic table group 15 element, such as an ammonium compound ion, a pyridinium compound ion, and a triphenyl phosphonium compound ion; those consisting mainly of the group 16 element, such as a sulfonium compound ion (a triaryl sulfonium, an aromatic sulfonium compound ion, and an aliphatic sulfonium compound ion are included), and a selenium compound ion; those consisting mainly of the group 17 element, such as a diaryl chloronium compound ion, bromonium, and iodonium; and an iron-arene complex.

Among these components, ionic components such as iodonium, sulfonium, and ammonium are preferable.

Examples of the anionic component include perfluorides (anionic residues of super strong acids) of the periodic table groups 13 and 15 elements, such as BE₄ ⁻, B(C₆F₆)₄, Ga(C₆F₆)₄, PF₆, and PF_(n)Rf_((6-n)) ⁻ (Rf represents a perfluoroalkyl group; and n represents an integer of 1 to 5), AsF₆, SbF₆, and the like.

Among these, SbF₆ ⁻, PF₆, PF_(n)Rf_((6-n)) ⁻, and Ga(C₆F₆)₄ are preferable.

However, the cationic polymerization initiator is a salt and therefore sometimes is poorly soluble with respect to an organic compound. From the viewpoint of solubility, an aryl sulfonium salt is preferable and, of this salt, an initiator that uses a perfluoride (anionic residue of super strong acid), a PF_(n)Rf_((6-n)) (Rf represents a perfluoroalkyl group), as an anionic component is preferable.

As the cationic polymerization initiator, a halonium salt represented by an iodonim salt; a sulfonium salt which is mainly classified into 4 kinds: triaryl, diarylmonoalkyl, monoaryldialkyl, and trialkyl sulfonium salts (the alkyl group includes an aralkyl group); an ammonium salt which is represented by phenacyl pyridinium and alkoxy pyridinium salts; an iron-arene complex and the like can be preferably used.

Examples of the photo-cationic polymerization initiator include CPI-100P, CPI-101A, CPI-200K, CPI-201S and CPI-500K (each trade name, triarylsulfonium salt, manufactured by San-Apro Ltd.); and Adekaoptomer SP series (trade name, aromatic sulfonium salt, manufactured by ADEKA Corporation).

Examples of the thermal cationic polymerization initiator include K-PURE (registered trademark) TAG, CXC series (each trade name, manufactured by KING INDUSTRIES); SAN-AID SI series, SI-150L, SI-110L, SI-60L, SI-80L, and SI-100L (each trade name, aromatic sulfonium salt, manufactured by SANSHIN CHEMICAL INDUSTRY CO., LTD.); and Adekaoptomer CP series (trade name, aliphatic sulfonium salt, manufactured by ADEKA Corporation).

The cationic polymerization initiator (c) is preferably blended in an amount of 0.1 to 10 mass % in 100 mass % of the sealing resin composition.

In the sealing resin composition of the present invention, its curing characteristics can be adjusted by adjusting a blend ratio (b/c) (mass ratio) of the hygroscopic compound (b) and the cationic polymerization initiator (c).

If the ratio b/c is from 0.5 to 5, activation is caused by ultraviolet irradiation or initial heating, and such characteristics that a curing reaction is initiated by a subsequent heating, i.e., so-called delayed curing characteristics can be preferably obtained.

If the ratio b/c is less than 0.5, a resin cured material can be obtained only by the ultraviolet irradiation or the initial heating. If the ratio b/c exceeds 5, a resin cured material sometimes cannot be obtained even by heating after the ultraviolet irradiation or the initial heating.

In order to obtain a resin cured material by using the forgoing delayed curing characteristics, it is preferable that the following curing conditions are adopted in addition to the formulation of the above-described composition.

In a case of containing a photo-cationic polymerization initiator, all that's required is that the sealing resin composition is subjected to an ultraviolet irradiation at irradiation intensity (light output) of 5 to 100 mW/cm² and irradiance of 500 to 5,000 mJ/cm², and then is heated at 50 to 150° C. for about 0.5 to about 24 hours. The above-described irradiance is an irradiance level by which a curing inhibition effect of a hygroscopic compound (b) is obtainable. By setting the ultraviolet irradiance to the above-described range, a resin cured material having a sufficient hardness can be preferably obtained without deteriorating surrounding materials such as an adherend and the like. In order to eliminate the influence of moisture and a curing-inhibition-exhibiting material, which are present in air and on a surface of the adherend, thereby stably obtaining a resin cured material, ultraviolet irradiance of 1,000 mJ/cm² or more is preferable.

Further, in a case of using a heat-cationic polymerization initiator, all that's required is an initial heating at 50 to 150° C. for 5 minutes to 10 hours. After that, by heating (main heating) at 50 to 150° C. for 0.5 to 24 hours, a resin cured material having a sufficient hardness can be obtained. Herein, the initial heating is a heating of degree by which a curing inhibition effect is obtained by a hygroscopic compound (b). For example, in a case of heating at a high temperature, it is preferable to heat within the above-described period of time and also in a shorter time.

By heating after ultraviolet irradiation or initial heating, a cation captured by the -M-O— structure of the hygroscopic compound (b) is released, whereby a curing reaction is initiated. The heating temperature in this moment is preferably 70° C. or more for obtaining a uniform resin cured material, while it is preferably 80° C. or more for a prompt curing reaction. In a case of using the resin cured material in an organic light-emitting element, the heating at 150° C. or less is preferable, because the organic light-emitting element is susceptible to a high temperature. Further, a rapid curing reaction increases cure shrinkage in general and therefore the heating temperature is preferably 120° C. or less for obtaining a resin cured material with small-cure shrinkage, while in a case of emphasizing an adhesive force, the heating at 100° C. or less is preferable.

Further, in order to obtain a resin cured material without using a delayed curing property, the following methods are preferable.

In a case of using a photo-cationic polymerization initiator, a sealing resin composition is preferably subjected to an ultraviolet irradiation at irradiation intensity (light output) of 10 to 100 mW/cm² and irradiance of 1000 to 5,000 mJ/cm².

Further, in a case of using a heat-cationic polymerization initiator, the heating at 60 to 150° C. for 10 minutes to 3 hours is preferable.

Further, by using in combination with a sensitizer, the polymerization efficiency can be also increased using a long wavelength side of the irradiation energy. For example, anthracene compounds, aromatic ketone compounds represented by benzophenone compounds, and thioxanthone compounds may be preferably used.

Specific examples of the anthracene compound include ANTHRACURE (registered trademark) series, UVS-1331 (9,10-dibutoxyanthracene), and UVS-1221 (each trade name, manufactured by Kawasaki Kasei Chemicals Ltd.).

Specific examples of the benzophenone compound include KEMISORB 10, 11, 11S, 12, and 111 (each trade name, manufactured by Chemipro Kasei Kaisha, Ltd).

Specific examples of the thioxanthone compound include DETX and ITX (each trade name, manufactured by LAMBSON).

Further, in order to increase a polymerization degree, a radical polymerization initiator may be added thereto.

<Solvent (d)>

The sealing resin composition of the present invention preferably contains a solvent (d).

The solvent (d) is not particularly limited, as long as it is a compound which is capable of mixing well with any other constituent materials. For example, hydrocarbons (hexane, octane, naphthene, polyisobutylene, polybutene, and the like), alcohols (butanol and the like), ethers, esters, and silicone oils are preferable. The solvent (d) may be used to improve compatibility between the cationically polymerizable compound (a) and the hygroscopic compound (b). Further, at the time of adding additives other than the hygroscopic compound (b) to the sealing resin composition, the solvent (d) may be used to preliminarily dissolve the additives therein for subsequent addition.

Examples of the solvent (d) include AF SOLVENTS No. 4 to No. 7 (manufactured by JX Nikko Nisseki Energy Co.) as a solvent consisting primarily of naphthene, and IP SOLVENTS SERIES (manufactured by Idemitsu Petrochemical Co., Ltd.) as an isoparaffin-based solvent.

The content of the solvent (d) is preferably 0.1% by mass or more in 100% by mass of the sealing resin composition, from the view point of improving compatibility. The upper limit is not particularly limited, but preferably 10 mass % or less.

Further, from the viewpoints of achieving compatibility and low viscosity, the boiling point of the solvent (d) is preferably 80° C. or more, and more preferably 100° C. or more. From the viewpoint of storage stability, the boiling point of the solvent (d) is preferably 160° C. or more, and the boiling point of the solvent (d) is preferably 240° C. or more, because deterioration of the light-emitting element due to outgassing can be suppressed. The upper limit is not particularly limited, but preferably 400° C. or less.

(Additive)

The sealing resin composition of the present invention may contain any of other additives, to the extent in which they do not deteriorate the sealing property of the resin cured material. Examples of the foregoing additives include: a diluent, a tackifier, a crosslinking aid, a frame retardant, a polymerization inhibitor, a filler, a coupling agent, and the like.

<Characteristics of Curable and Hygroscopic Resin Composition for Sealing Electronic Devices and Resin Cured Material>

Characteristics of the sealing resin composition of the present invention and a resin cured material which is a cured material of the sealing resin composition are described below.

In a case where the sealing resin composition of the present invention contains a photo-cationic polymerization initiator, its decomposition can be suppressed until initiation of polymerization reaction, by shielding light.

In a case where the sealing resin composition of the present invention contains a heat-cationic polymerization initiator, its decomposition can be suppressed until initiation of polymerization reaction, by preservation at a lower temperature than the temperature of decomposition of the polymerization initiator.

(Sealing Property: Calcium Corrosion Test)

The calcium corrosion test can be conducted in accordance with the evaluation method described in Examples.

Note that, this calcium corrosion test is to measure a sealing capability of the resin cured material, by using a fact that silver-white-colored metal calcium having a metallic luster, which has been sealed with the resin on a glass substrate, reacts with a water molecule penetrated into the resin to form a transparent calcium hydroxide. For this reason, this test is a test method which is closer to an image of the actual sealing.

In the test specimen used in the above-described test, the curvature radius R at the corner portion of the metal calcium layer 54 after test, as shown in FIG. 5(b), is preferably less than 5 mm, and more preferably less than 1 mm.

In the above-described test, if the curvature radius R is less than 5 mm, this means that in a case where an electronic device has been sealed with this resin, the moisture penetration into the electronic device is sufficiently low, and therefore this resin can be preferably used for sealing of the electronic device.

Note that the evaluation of the water vapor barrier test described below does not necessarily correspond to the evaluation of the above-described calcium corrosion test. The evaluation that the water vapor transmission rate is low in the water vapor barrier test can be cited as one of reasons for a good evaluation in the above-described calcium corrosion test. However, the entry route of the water molecule includes: a route through the sealing resin from a contact face between the atmosphere and the resin cured material; and in addition a route through an interface (sealing interface) between the resin cured material and a substrate. For this reason, if adhesion between the resin cured material and the substrate is not enough, an affection of moisture routed through the sealing interface becomes larger, so that evaluations of the water vapor barrier property test and the calcium corrosion test sometimes discord from each other. In other words, in the calcium corrosion test, a sealing property can be confirmed from the viewpoints including an adhesion property.

(Storage Stability)

The storage stability evaluation of a sealing resin composition can be conducted in accordance with the test method described in Example.

In the sealing resin composition, sometimes polymerization reaction gradually progresses dependent on its storage conditions, and the sealing resin composition turns into a gel, which results in lowering of fluidity. If the fluidity is lowered, a coating property is sometimes lowered.

The period of time until the fluidity in the test method is lost is preferably 4 days or more.

It is preferable that the sealing resin composition of the present invention and its cured material further have the following characteristics.

(Compatibility (After Blended But Before Cured))

The compatibility test in a state after blended but before cured the sealing resin composition, can be conducted in accordance with the method described in Examples.

A preferable compatibility of the sealing resin composition can be judged on the criteria described in Example.

Note that, a two layer-separated state is not preferred, because it is impossible to uniformly cure the composition.

(Compatibility (After Cured))

Further, the compatibility test in a state after cured the blended sealing resin composition can be conducted in accordance with the evaluation method described in Examples.

A preferable compatibility of the resin cured material can be judged on the criteria described in Example. In the situation where a phase separation is not seen due to white turbidity, the resin cured material is not uniformly cured, and therefore this situation is not preferable.

(Viscosity)

Measurement of the resin viscosity can be conducted in accordance with the evaluation method described in Examples.

The complex viscosity n* of the sealing resin composition is preferably 5 Pa·s or less, and more preferably 2 Pa·s or less. If the complex viscosity n* is 5 Pa·s or less, a coating work to a sealing substrate is easy.

(Amount of Outgas)

In the sealing resin composition of the present invention, an amount of organic gas (hereinafter, also referred to as “outgas,” which may contain moisture) emitted from the resin cured material can be reduced. The measurement of the amount of outgas can be conducted in accordance with the evaluation method described in Examples. The amount of emitted outgas is preferably 500 ppm or less, and more preferably 300 ppm or less. When the amount of emitted outgas is adjusted to 500 ppm or less, deterioration of the sealed element for the electronic device due to the outgas can be further suppressed.

In order to adjust the amount of emitted outgas to 500 ppm or less, solvents and volatile organic molecules in the sealing resin composition or the resin cured material should be removed by means of a dryer such as a conical dryer, and an evaporator, or a drying furnace when the resin composition is processed into a film form.

(Water Vapor Barrier Property)

The water vapor barrier property test can be conducted in accordance with the evaluation method described in Examples.

The moisture permeability of a 100 μm-thick resin cured material to be measured in the above-described water vapor barrier property test, which is formed by curing the above-described sealing resin composition, is preferably 100 g/m²·24-hr or less, and more preferably 50 g/m²·24-hr or less, under the conditions of 40° C. and 90% relative humidity. Note that the lower limit thereof is 1 g/m²·24-hr or more in practice.

The above-described sealing resin composition can be used by directly coating it on an electronic device. Further, the above-described sealing resin composition can be shaped in the form of a film or the like, and can be used by incorporating it in the electronic device.

«Resin Cured Material»

The resin cured material of the present invention can be obtained by curing the above-described sealing resin composition of the present invention. The sealing resin composition can be used to apply it on an adherend such as a substrate and the like by coating and then by curing it in the shape of a film, a block, or the like. Further, an electronic device can be composed by using a preliminarily cured material of the sealing resin composition in the shape of a film, a block, or the like.

The resin cured material of the present invention is used for an electronic device and the like. The shape and the shaping conditions of the resin cured material, or its specific advantageous effect are described in the following electronic device.

«Electronic Device»

The electronic device of the present invention is an electronic device, preferably an organic electronic device, sealed by curing the above-described sealing resin composition or using the above-described resin cured material of the present invention.

Hereinafter, as an example of the organic electronic device, an organic light-emitting device (image display device) is described.

An organic light-emitting device 5 as shown in FIG. 1 has a structure which is responsive to any of a so-called top emission type and bottom emission type. An organic light-emitting element 3 provided on an element substrate 4 is sealed with a sealing substrate 1 through a resin cured material 2. The resin cured material 2 means a cured material which has been formed by curing the sealing resin composition of the present invention.

Note that, as to the foregoing organic light-emitting device 5, a sealing lateral face thereof may be exposed, as shown in FIG. 1. In other words, it is not necessarily needed to conduct an additional tight sealing processing, by a glass frit, an adhesive, or the like, as a side-surface sealant. In this manner, lightweight and cost-cutting can also be achieved by eliminating an additional tight sealing processing with a glass frit and the like as just described, and thereby simplifying a structure of the organic light-emitting device 5.

Further, in a case where a rigid glass frit is not used, the use of a flexible material for the element substrate 4 and the sealing substrate 1 allows the provision of a so-called flexible device in which flexibility has been given to the organic light-emitting device 5 itself. Further, the device as a whole is flexible and lightweight, and therefore becomes less destructible, even if the device is subjected to impact, such as a fall.

In the present invention, other than the organic light-emitting device 5 as shown in FIG. 1, an organic light-emitting device 5A as shown in FIG. 2 is also preferred. In FIG. 2, in order to increase parallelism between a sealing substrate 1 and an element substrate 4, a spacer b having a proper height to a thickness of the resin cured material is incorporated in the resin cured material. FIG. 2 shows a cross-section when the organic light-emitting device 5A is cut parallel to end edges of an organic light-emitting element 3 in a non-existence region of the organic light-emitting element 3 (shown by a dotted line).

Regarding the height of the spacer b to be used, substantially the same height in any of spacers b is preferable from the viewpoint of increasing parallelism between the sealing substrate 1 and the element substrate 4.

As to the spacer b, it is preferred to use a spherical shaped filler, or a pillared pillar formed by a photolithography. Further, as to the material of the spacer b, either organic or inorganic materials may be adopted, unless there is a danger that any of them are crushed and destroyed by a pressure at the time of sealing an organic light-emitting element. Note that, as regards the material, an organic resin is preferred, because the organic resin is excellent in affinity to the sealing resin composition or the resin cured material of the present invention, and a cross-linked acrylic resin is more preferred, because deterioration of the sealing property is lessened.

Examples of the spacer b include ENEOS Unipowder (trade name) manufactured by JX Nikko Nisseki Energy Co., and HAYABEADS (trade name) manufactured by HAYAKAWA RUBBER CO., LTD.

The placement density of the spacer b is preferably 10 pieces/mm² or more, more preferably 50 pieces/mm² or more, and still more preferably 100 pieces/mm² or more, from the viewpoints of increasing parallelism between the sealing substrate 1 and the element substrate 4, and maintaining uniformity of the distance between the top and bottom substrates.

If the viscosity of the sealing resin composition gets too high, a coating work becomes difficult. From the viewpoint of a sealing resin composition viscosity, the placement density of the spacer b is preferably 1,000 pieces/mm² or less, more preferably 500 pieces/mm² or less, and still more preferably 300 pieces/mm² or less.

From the viewpoint of a surface asperity-tracking performance with respect to a substrate (sealing face), the thickness of the resin cured material is preferably 0.5 μm or more, more preferably 1 μm or more, and still more preferably 2 μm or more. If the thickness of the resin cured material is 0.5 μm or more, surface asperity of the organic light-emitting element can be sufficiently absorbed, and resultantly a space between substrates can be completely sealed.

Further, from the viewpoint of a sealing property, the thickness of the resin cured material is preferably 100 μm or less, more preferably 50 μm or less, and still more preferably 30 μm or less. If the thickness of the resin cured material is 100 μm or less, the area of the resin cured material exposing to the atmosphere does not get too large, which results in providing a balance of the moisture entry amount and the moisture capture.

In a case of using a spacer b, the thickness of the resin cured material gets approximately the same as the height of the spacer b.

The sealing resin composition of the present invention may be used for the organic light-emitting device 15 as shown in FIG. 3, which has been subjected to an additional tight seal processing by forming a side-surface sealing structure 10 with a side-surface sealant (a glass frit or an adhesive) or the like, so as to surround a resin cured material 12. As the side-surface sealing structure 10, a dam structure portion may be formed by an adhesive, a gas barrier sealant, or a glass frit cured material and the like. In this case, by synergistic effects of the resin cured material of the present invention and the side-surface sealing structure 10, a high airtightness is maintained. For this reason, an organic light-emitting device 15, in which a resin cured material 12 obtained from the sealing resin composition of the present invention is used in combination with the side-surface sealing structure 10, is preferred, from the viewpoint of realizing a long life of the organic light-emitting device 15.

Further, the resin cured material obtained by the sealing resin composition of the present invention may be used for an organic light-emitting device 25 as shown in FIG. 4. In the organic light-emitting device 25, an organic light-emitting element 23 formed on a gas-barrier element substrate 24 has been subjected to a tight seal processing by a multi-layer lamination of an inorganic thin film 21 and an organic thin film 22. In this case, the resin cured material is formed as the organic thin film 22. By synergistic effects of the organic thin film 22 obtained by the sealing resin composition of the present invention and the inorganic thin film 21, a high airtightness is maintained. The number of the above-described lamination is not limited to the embodiment shown in FIG. 4 and can be arbitrarily designed, as long as the above-described effects can be obtained by it.

Herein, the inorganic thin film 21 is composed of a silicon nitride compound, a silicon oxide compound, an aluminum oxide compound, aluminum or the like. The thickness of a single layer of the inorganic thin film 21 is preferably 1 μm or less from the viewpoint of flexibility.

The thickness of a single layer of the organic thin film 22 is preferably 5 μm or less from the viewpoint of flexibility. However, from the viewpoint of resistance to impact of the organic EL element, the thickness thereof is preferably 1 μm or more and more preferably 5 μm or more.

A method for producing an organic light-emitting device using the sealing resin composition of the present invention is explained as follows, taking a delayed cure type sealing resin composition containing a photo-cationic polymerization initiator as an example.

On the above occasion, specific examples of a method of coating the sealing resin composition include: a spin coating method, a dip coating method, a spray coating method, a slit coating method, a bar coating method, a roll coating method, a gravure printing method, a flexographic printing method, a screen printing method, and a flow coating method.

The organic light-emitting device 5 whose lateral sides have not been subjected to a tight seal processing as shown in FIG. 1 is produced as follows. At first, on an organic light-emitting element substrate 4 on which an organic light-emitting element 3 has been formed in the stack, a moderate amount of the sealing resin composition of the present invention is coated so as to cover the organic light-emitting element 3, and then is subjected to an ultraviolet irradiation. In this moment, the resin has not cured yet due to its delayed cure property. The ultraviolet irradiation to the sealing resin composition of the present invention may be performed before coating it on the organic light-emitting element substrate 4. After that, further, a sealing substrate 1 is placed on the top of the sealing resin composition of the present invention so as to sandwich it between these substrates. By this, generation of a space between the element substrate 4 and the sealing substrate 1 is prevented, and subsequently by heating (for example, at 90° C. for 30 minutes), the sealing resin composition of the present invention is cured to form a resin cured material 2, whereby the sealing is completed.

Alternatively, at first, the sealing resin composition of the present invention is coated on a sealing substrate 1 and is subjected to an ultraviolet irradiation. After that, this sealing resin composition is sandwiched between the sealing substrate 1 and the element substrate 4 on which an organic light-emitting element 3 has been formed in the stack, and subsequently by heating (for example, at 90° C. for 30 minutes), a resin cured material 2 is formed, whereby the sealing may be performed. In this case, the ultraviolet irradiation to the sealing resin composition of the present invention may be performed before coating it on the sealing substrate 1.

The structure of decreasing moisture entry from the side of the resin cured material 12 by forming a side-surface sealing structure 10 as shown in FIG. 3 can be produced as described below. In first, the side-surface sealing structure 10 is formed on the element substrate 14 or the sealing substrate 11, so as to surround an organic light-emitting element 13. Thereafter, the sealing resin composition of the present invention is injected into the inside of the side-surface sealing structure 10, and subjected to an ultraviolet irradiation, thereafter the sealing resin composition of the present invention is sandwiched with another substrate. At this moment, the element substrate 14, the sealing substrate 11, and the side-surface sealing structure 10 should not cause a space among them. Thereafter, by heating (for example, at 90° C. for 30 minutes), the sealing resin composition of the present invention is cured to form a resin cured material 12, whereby the organic light-emitting element 13 is sealed. Note that the ultraviolet irradiation to the sealing resin composition of the present invention may be performed before injecting it into the inside of the side-surface sealing structure 10.

The organic light-emitting device 25 as shown in FIG. 4 may be produced as follows. At first, an organic light-emitting element 23 is formed on a gas-barrier element substrate 24, and the entire top and sides of this organic light-emitting element 23 is covered with an inorganic thin-film 21. Further, the sealing resin composition of the present invention is coated on the inorganic thin-film 21, and this composition is cured, thereby forming an organic thin-film 22. Further, an inorganic thin-film 21 is formed on this organic thin-film. If needed, formation of the organic thin-film 22 and the inorganic thin-film 21 is repeated.

The inorganic thin-film 21 may be formed by plasma CVD (PECVD), PVD (physical vapor deposition), ALD (atomic layer deposition) or the like.

The organic thin-film 22 may be formed by coating the sealing resin composition of the present invention by a known method such as an inkjet method, a spray coat method, a slit coat method, a bar coat method, or the like, and thereafter by curing it by an ultraviolet irradiation and a heating. Note that the ultraviolet irradiation to the sealing resin composition of the present invention may be performed before the coating of the sealing resin composition.

Further, in a case of using a sealing resin composition of an embodiment containing a heat-cationic polymerization initiator in place of the photo-cationic polymerization initiator, an organic light-emitting device may be produced in the same manner as the above described production method, except that an initial heating is carried out in place of the ultraviolet irradiation.

Further, in a case of using a non-delayed cure type sealing resin composition, an organic light-emitting device may be produced in the same manner as the above described production method, except that with neither ultraviolet irradiation nor initial heating before coating the sealing resin composition, the ultraviolet irradiation or the heating is carried out after coating the same.

If the above-described sealing process is performed in a dry environment, deterioration of the hygroscopic characteristics in the sealing resin composition of the present invention is preferably lessened.

In the organic light-emitting device using the sealing resin composition of the present invention, a color filter for chromaticity adjustment may be installed. Regarding an installation location of the color filter in this case, in the case of the embodiments shown in FIGS. 1 to 3, the color filter may be installed in between the resin cured material 2(12) and the sealing substrate 1(11) or the element substrate 4(14), or the color filter may be installed so as to sandwich the element substrate 4(14) in between the color filter and an organic light-emitting element 3(13), or alternatively may be installed so as to sandwich the sealing substrate 1(11), the resin cured material 2(12) and the organic light-emitting element 3(13) in between the color filter and the element substrate 4(14). In a case of the embodiment shown in FIG. 4, the color filter may be installed above the inorganic thin film 21 located at the outermost side, or below the element substrate 24. In this case, it is preferred that the color filter is immobilized with the sealing resin composition of the present invention or another transparent resin composition.

In the embodiment using a delayed curing property, the sealing resin composition of the present invention is not cured in a moment by the ultraviolet irradiation, so that a sealing can be performed without the ultraviolet irradiation to an organic EL element using a dye which has a susceptibility to an ultraviolet ray. Further, this embodiment is more excellent in storage stability at room temperature, because even if a heating is carried out before the ultraviolet irradiation, a curing reaction is not progressed. Further, this embodiment is also applicable to a method that facilitates coating by heating a nozzle portion of the coating apparatus at the time of resin coating, to lower viscosity of the sealing resin composition, which allows increase in freedom degree of selection for a coating method and a resin.

In a case where the sealing resin composition of the present invention contains a photo-cationic polymerization initiator and is formulated in terms of a particular blend composition, it is possible to decrease an adhesive force after the resin cure and a peel adhesion force. For this reason, the sealing resin composition is applicable to an intended use of an adhesive for temporary fixation of electronic components and the like, in which re-peel becomes easy by curing it.

EXAMPLES

The present invention will be described in more detail based on examples given below, but the invention is not meant to be limited by these.

«Preparation of Curable and Hygroscopic Resin Composition for Sealing Electronic Devices»

Example 1

9.7 g of HBE-100 (trade name, manufactured by New Japan Chemical Co., Ltd.) as a cationically polymerizable compound (a), 0.1 g of ALGOMAER 800AF (trade name, manufactured by Kawaken Fine Chemicals Co., Ltd.) as a hygroscopic compound (b), 0.1 g of a triarylsulfonium salt-based initiator (trade name: “CPI-500K”, manufactured by San-Apro Ltd.) as a cationic polymerization initiator (c), and 0.1 g of hexane as a solvent (d) were added and stirred until a mixture becomes homogeneous, to obtain a sealing resin composition.

Examples 2 to 13 and Comparative Examples 1 to 5

The sealing resin compositions of Examples 2 to 13 and Comparative Examples 1 to 5 were prepared in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the constituent materials shown in Table 1 were blended so that a total becomes 10 g by using the constituent materials in the amounts in terms of mass % shown in Table 1, in place of the constituent materials used in Example 1.

Note that the units (mass %) of constituent materials (a) to (d) in Table 1 were omitted in the description.

Comparative Example 3 has a composition similar to Example of Patent Literature 1.

Comparative Example 4 has a composition similar to Example 1 of JP-A-2014-14814.

In order to blend the sealing resin compositions, the following chemicals were used.

—Polymerizable Compound (a)—

-   -   EPOLIGHT 1500NP (trade name, manufactured by Kyoeisha Chemical         Co., Ltd., neopentyl glycol diglycidyl ether)     -   OXT-221 (trade name, manufactured by TOAGOSEI CO., LTD.)         (3-ethyl-3-{[(3-ethyloxetane-3-yl)methoxy]methyl}oxetane)     -   DME-100 (trade name, manufactured by New Japan Chemical Co.,         Ltd., 1,4-cyclohexane dimethanol diglycidylether)     -   HBE-100 (trade name, manufactured by New Japan Chemical Co.,         Ltd., hydrogenated bisphenol A diglycidyl ether)     -   EP-4088L (trade name, manufactured by ADEKA Corporation,         dicyclopentadiene dimethanol diglycidyl ether)     -   DCPD-VE (trade name, manufactured by Maruzen Chemical Co., Ltd.,         dicyclopentadiene vinyl ether)     -   NK ester A-DCP (trade name, manufactured by Shin Nakamura         Chemical Co., Ltd., tricyclodecane dimethanol diacrylate)         —Hygroscopic Compound (b)—     -   ALCH (aluminum ethyl acetoacetate/diisopropylate)     -   Algomaer 600AF (aluminum oxide hexylate trimer)     -   Algomaer 800AF (aluminum oxide octylate trimer)     -   Algomaer 1000SF (aluminum oxide stearate trimer)     -   Algomaer (aluminum oxide isopropoxide trimer) (each trade name,         manufactured by Kawaken Fine Chemicals Co., Ltd.)

Among the above chemicals, ALGOMAER 600AF, ALGOMAER 800AF, and ALGOMAER 1000SF are supplied in form of a solution, and therefore they were evaporated to dryness by an evaporator before use.

Further, in Comparative Example 4, pyridine (bp 115° C., molecular weight 79, manufactured by Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.) was coordinated to ALGOMAER 800AF before use. The method of coordinating pyridine was referred to Example 1 of JP-A-2014-14814.

—Polymerization Initiator (c)—

-   -   V-601 (trade name, manufactured by Wako Pure Chemical         Industries, Ltd., diethyl-2,2′-azobis(2-methylpropionate), heat         radical polymerization initiator)     -   CPI-500K (trade name, manufactured by San-Apro Ltd.,         triarylsulfonium salt, photo-cationic polymerization initiator)     -   SI-60L (trade name, manufactured by SANSHIN CHEMICAL INDUSTRY         CO., LTD., aromatic sulfonium salt, heat cationic polymerization         initiator)     -   Irgacure907 (trade name, manufactured by BASF,         2-methyl-1-(4-methylthiophenyl)-2-morpholinopropane-1-one,         photo-radical polymerization initiator)         —Polymerization Promotor—     -   Triethanolamine (manufactured by Wako Pure Chemical Industries,         Ltd.)         —Solvent (d)—     -   Hexane (manufactured by Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.,         boiling point: 68° C.)     -   Octane (manufactured by Wako Pure Chemical Industries, Ltd.,         boiling point: 126° C.)     -   AF-7 SOLVENT (trade name, manufactured by JX Nikko Nisseki         Energy Co., solvent consisting of naphthene as a primary         component, boiling point: 260° C.)         «Evaluation Method»

With respect to the sealing resin compositions prepared in the above-described Examples 1 to 13 and Comparative Examples 1 to 5, the following evaluations were conducted in a clean room controlled at 25° C. and 50% relative humidity. The results are shown in Table 1.

<Calcium Corrosion Test>

The calcium corrosion test is described with reference to FIG. 5(a) and FIG. 5(b), as necessary.

A commercially-available glass substrate (transparent glass) having dimensions of 1.2 mm×22.5 mm×24 mm was subjected to an ultrasonic cleaning at 45° C. for 10 minutes. Further, ozone cleaning was performed by UV cleaning for 30 minutes to blow off organic matters on the surface thereof. Then, on the glass substrate, a metal calcium layer 52 having dimensions of 10 mm×10 mm square and thickness of 100 nm was formed by vacuum deposition equipment. Then, 10 μL of the sealing resin composition prepared in the above was put drop-wise on the metal calcium layer. Ultraviolet ray (exposure: 3,000 mJ/cm²) was irradiated with 50 mW/cm² for 60 seconds using an ultraviolet irradiator, and then further a sealing glass (transparent glass) of 0.15 mm×18 mm×18 mm was put on a top of the metal calcium layer. The sealing resin composition was spread in between the sealing glass and the glass substrate or the metal calcium layer, whereby a layer having almost the same size as the sealing glass surface was formed. This material was placed in a heating furnace of 90° C. for 30 minutes, to cure the sealing resin composition, whereby the metal calcium layer was sealed and thus a test specimen was obtained.

Further, in Comparative Example 1 and Example 12, test specimens were obtained in the same manner as the above, except that the sealing resin composition was cured by placing it in a heating furnace of 100° C. for 90 minutes without the ultraviolet irradiation.

Further, for Comparative Example 3, a test specimen was obtained in the same manner as the above, except that no heating was performed.

The thickness of the resin cured material 51 after curing was each 30 μm.

Note that each of the sealing resin compositions of Examples 1 to 11 and 13 had a pot-life enough to stack a sealing glass after the ultraviolet irradiation.

Herein, a distance from an outer circumferential side of the sealing glass to an outer circumferential side of the metal calcium layer, was equally set to 4 mm in each of 4 sides. FIG. 5(a) is a view of the above-described test specimen which can be seen through a glass substrate (however, the above-described sealing glass portion is omitted in this view).

The obtained test specimen was stored under high-temperature and high-humidity of 60° C. and 90% relative humidity, and then a corner portion of the metal calcium layer 54 after a lapse of 48 hours was observed.

More specifically, the metal calcium layer 52 has silver-gray in color with metallic luster. However, with a progress of corrosion, a corroded portion thereof gets to a transparent calcium hydroxide. For this reason, the corner portion of the metal calcium layer after the test 54 (the border between the metal calcium portion and the calcium hydroxide portion) appears to be waney. The corrosion degree in this test was evaluated by using a curvature radius R at the corner portion of the metal calcium layer after the test 54, as shown in FIG. 5(b).

The curvature radius R was evaluated as follows. An image of the metal calcium layer after the test 54 was obtained by photographing the thus-obtained test specimen from above. In the corner portion of the metal calcium layer 54 after the test on the obtained image, a circle (circle of curvature) was drawn along the roundness of the corner portion while having contact with 2 sides forming the corner portion, like a circle shown with the dotted line in FIG. 5(b). Then, the radius of the circle (curvature radius) was measured. With respect to all of 4 corners of one test specimen, their curvature radii were measured. Of the obtained 4 curvature radii, the largest radius was defined as the curvature radius R of the test specimen and the curvature radius was evaluated by the following criteria.

The un-corroded test specimen, in other words, the test specimen whose curvature radius R at the roundness at the corner portion of the metal calcium layer due to corrosion, is 0 mm, was rated as “A”. The corroded test specimen whose curvature radius R is more than 0 mm and less than 1 mm, was rated as “B”. The corroded test specimen whose curvature radius R is 1 mm or more and less than 5 mm, was rated as “C”. The corroded test specimen whose curvature radius R is 5 mm or more, was rated as “D”. The ranks A to C were judged as being acceptable.

<Storage Stability>

10 ml of each of the above-prepared sealing resin compositions was put in a transparent glass vessel (volume: 50 ml) instantly after the preparation thereof, was tight sealed, and was stored at room temperature (25° C.) under ambient light. A period elapsing from the time point of putting this sealing resin composition in the glass vessel up to the point of time when fluidity has become undetectable in the sealing resin composition was measured, and this elapsed time was defined as storage stability. Confirmation of the fluidity was performed by inclining the above-described glass vessel and by visually observing the state of the sealing resin composition at that moment. Specifically, by inclination of the glass vessel at 90°, the point of time when a deformation of the sealing resin composition was not confirmed within 10 seconds was defined as “the point of time when fluidity has become undetectable”. In a case where the elapsed time is 4 days or more, the storage stability can be evaluated as being good.

In addition, as reference characteristics required for the sealing resin composition, the following evaluations were also made.

<Compatibility Test (After Blended But Before Cured)>

The mass % shown in Table 1 of the polymerizable compound (a), the hygroscopic compound (b), and the polymerization initiator (c) (and the solvent (d) when the solvent (d) was used) were blended so as to be a total of 10 g, followed by stirring at room temperature (23° C.) for 1 hour, to obtain sealing resin compositions. After stirring, the sealing resin compositions were left to stand. The states of the compositions after 24 hours were confirmed with the naked eye.

A transparent state (a state in which the sealing resin composition has the same degree of transparency as the polymerizable compound (a) incorporated therein) was rated as “A”. A clouded state (a state in which the sealing resin composition has a lower transparency than the polymerizable compound (a) incorporated therein to the extent that a difference can be visually determined) was rated as “B”, and a two-layer separated state was rated as “C”.

<Compatibility Test (After Cured)>

The above-described sealing resin composition after still standing for 24 hours was coated so as to have the thickness of 100 μm on a 50 μm-thick release-processed PET film (trade name “E7004”, manufactured by Toyobo Co., Ltd.). To the coated sealing resin composition, ultraviolet ray (exposure: 3,000 mJ/cm²) was irradiated with 50 mW/cm² for 60 seconds using an ultraviolet irradiator (US5-0151, trade name, manufactured by EYE GRAPHICS CO., LTD.). Further, a 25 μm-thick release-processed PET film (trade name “E7004”, manufactured by Toyobo Co., Ltd.) was laminated on the coated sealing resin composition. The sealing resin composition sandwiched in between the two release-processed PET films, as obtained in this way, was placed into a heating furnace of 90° C. for 30 minutes. After that, the two release-processed PET films were peeled therefrom to obtain a cured film of the sealing resin composition.

Further, in Comparative Example 1 and Example 12, cured films of the sealing resin compositions were obtained in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the heating conditions were changed to placing in a heating furnace of 100° C. for 90 minutes.

Further, in Comparative Example 3, a cured film of the sealing resin composition was obtained in the same manner as in Example 1, except that the heating was not performed.

The state of each of these cured films was visually confirmed from upper with respect to the cured film plane.

A transparent state (a state in which the cured film has the same degree of transparency as the polymerizable compound (a) incorporated in the above-described sealing resin composition before cured) was rated as “A”. A state in which the cured film is transparent, but a phase separation is detectable due to a difference in a refractive index was rated as “B”. A state in which the cured film is cloudy and a phase separation is undetectable (the cloudiness means a state in which the cured film has a lower transparency than the polymerizable compound (a) incorporated in the above-described sealing resin composition before cured, to the extent that its difference can be visually determined) was rated as “C”.

<Viscosity Measurement>

The sealing resin composition prepared in the above was left to stand for 1 hour, and then a complex viscosity n* at an angular velocity of shear rate of 1 s⁻¹ and an ordinary temperature (25° C.) was measured, in a dynamic viscoelasticity measuring instrument (instrument name “ARES”, manufactured by Leometric Scientific F. E. Co., Ltd), using a cone plate having a cone diameter of 25 mm and a cone angle of 0.1 rad.

The resin composition having the complex viscosity n* of 2 Pa·s or less was rated as “A”. The resin composition having the complex viscosity n* of more than 2 Pa·s and 5 Pa·s or less was rated as “B”. The resin composition having the complex viscosity n* of more than 5 Pa·s was rated as “C”.

<Amount of Outgas>

Using a 100 μm-thick cured film of the sealing resin composition, which was prepared in the same manner as the test specimen of the above-described compatibility test (after cured), an amount of outgas was measured by the gas chromatographic analysis method specified in JIS K 0114.

Specifically, 3 mg of the sample (thickness 100 μm, 1 cm×3 mm) was used and was heated at 100° C. for 20 minutes using a MULTI-SHOT PYROLYZER PY-3030D manufactured by Frontier Laboratories Ltd., and an amount of the desorption gas was analyzed. By using UA+-5 manufactured by Frontier Laboratories Ltd. for a column, and also using JMS-Q1050GC manufactured by JEOL Ltd. for a GC/MS analyzer, quantification was performed in terms of the toluene-equivalent.

The cured film with the amount of outgas of 300 ppm or less was rated as “A”. The cured film with the amount of outgas of more than 300 ppm and 500 ppm or less was rated as “B”. The cured film with the amount of outgas of more than 500 ppm was rated as “C”.

<Water Vapor Barrier Test>

A 100 μm-thick cured film, which was prepared in the same manner as the test specimen of the above-described compatibility test (after cured), was used as a test object. The moisture permeability was measured, under the condition of 40° C. and 90% relative humidity, in accordance with the moisture permeability test method (cup method) of the moisture-proof packaging material described in JIS Z 0208.

Note that, when a film is put into a thermostat chamber of 40° C. and 90% relative humidity, there is a possibility that the cured film swells due to a change in volume of the air in the cup, so that the surface area and the thickness of the sample film are changed, and as the result, the measured value becomes inaccurate. For this reason, the cured film was reinforced with a 20 μm-thick cellophane. The moisture permeability of the 20 μm-thick cellophane is 3,000 g/m²/24-hr at the same condition as the above, which is much larger than the moisture permeability of the cured film of each of Examples and Comparative Examples, and therefore the cellophane does not interfere with the measurement in the moisture permeability of the cured film.

In a case where the moisture permeability is 100 g/m²·24 h or less, the water vapor barrier property can be evaluated as being good.

In Table 1, the unit (g/m²·24 h) in the water vapor barrier test was omitted.

TABLE 1 Curable and hygroscopic resin composition Comparative Example for sealing electronic devices 1 2 3 4 5 Polymerizable EPOLIGHT 1500NP — — — — — compound (a) OXT-221 — — — 74.9 — DME-100 — — — — — HBE-100 97 98 — — 97 EP-4088L — — — — — DCPD-VE — — — — — NK ester A-DCP — — 49 — — Hygroscopic ALCH — — 50 — 1 compound (b) Algomaer 600AF — — — — — Algomaer 800AF 1 — — 22 — Algomaer 1000SF — — — — — Algomaer — — — — — Pyridine — — — 3 — Polymerization V-601 1 — — — — initiator (c) CPI-500K — 1 — 0.1 1 SI-60L — — — — — Irgacure907 — — 0.5 — — Promotor Triethanolamine — — 0.5 — — Solvent (d) Hexane — — — — — Octane — — — — — AF-7 solvent 1 1 — — 1 Total (mass %) 100 100 100 100 100 Calcium corrosion test C D D D D Storage stability 2 days 7 days or more 1 day 7 days or more 7 days or more Reference Compatibility before cured B B C A A characteristic Compatibility after cured B B C A A Viscosity B B C B B Outgas A A C B C Water vapor barrier test 25 30 80 120 10 Curable and hygroscopic resin composition Example for sealing electronic devices 1 2 3 4 5 6 7 Polymerizable EPOLIGHT 1500NP — — 97 — — — — compound (a) OXT-221 — — — 97 — — — DME-100 — — — — 97 — — HBE-100 97 97 — — — 97 — EP-4088L — — — — — — 97 DCPD-VE — — — — — — — NK ester A-DCP — — — — — — — Hygroscopic ALCH — — — — — — — compound (b) Algomaer 600AF — — — — — — — Algomaer 800AF 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 Algomaer 1000SF — — — — — — — Algomaer — — — — — — — Pyridine — — — — — — — Polymerization V-601 — — — — — — — initiator (c) CPI-500K 1 1 1 1 1 1 1 SI-60L — — — — — — — Irgacure907 — — — — — — — Promotor Triethanolamine — — — — — — — Solvent (d) Hexane 1 — — — — — — Octane — 1 — — — — — AF-7 solvent — — 1 1 1 1 1 Total (mass %) 100 100 100 100 100 100 100 Calcium corrosion test C C B B A B A Storage stability 7 days 7 days 7 days 7 days 7 days 7 days 7 days or more or more or more or more or more or more or more Reference Compatibility before cured B B A A A A A characteristic Compatibility after cured B B A A A A A Viscosity B B C A A B A Outgas C B A A A A A Water vapor barrier test 15 25 20 15 12 15 12 Curable and hygroscopic resin composition Example for sealing electronic devices 8 9 10 11 12 13 Polymerizable EPOLIGHT 1500NP — — — — — — compound (a) OXT-221 — — — — — 35 DME-100 — — — — — — HBE-100 — 97 97 97 97 45 EP-4088L — — — — — — DCPD-VE 97 — — — — — NK ester A-DCP — — — — — — Hygroscopic ALCH — — — — — — compound (b) Algomaer 600AF — 1 — — — — Algomaer 800AF 1 — — — 1 10 Algomaer 1000SF — — 1 — — — Algomaer — — — 1 — — Pyridine — — — — — — Polymerization V-601 — — — — — — initiator (c) CPI-500K 1 1 1 1 — 9 SI-60L — — — — 1 — Irgacure907 — — — — — — Promotor Triethanolamine — — — — — — Solvent (d) Hexane — — — — — — Octane — — — — — — AF-7 solvent 1 1 1 1 1 1 Total (mass %) 100 100 100 100 100 100 Calcium corrosion test A A A A A A Storage stability 7 days 7 days 7 days 7 days 7 days 7 days or more or more or more or more or more or more Reference Compatibility before cured A A A A A A characteristic Compatibility after cured A A A A A A Viscosity A B B B B A Outgas A A A A A A Water vapor barrier test 13 10 20 13 12 35

It was found that, as shown in Table 1, Examples 1 to 13 each received a high evaluation in the calcium corrosion test and therefore a cured film of the sealing resin composition of the present invention had a high sealing property. Further, each of the sealing resin compositions had high storage stability. As is seen from the conditions for the calcium corrosion test, each of the sealing resin compositions exhibited a sealing property without having to make an interior of the room drying in particular, and was excellent in handling. Examples 2 to 13 each of which used a solvent (d) having a boiling point of 100° C. or more, were also excellent in outgassing property. Moreover, each of them has high compatibility and therefore it is believed that the sealing resin composition is in a uniformly cured state. From this result, it is understood that the sealing resin composition of the present invention can be used for sealing, for example, an organic light-emitting element 3 of the organic light-emitting device shown in FIG. 1.

In contrast, Comparative Example 1 using a heat-radical polymerization initiator resulted in poor storage stability. Comparative Example 2 without a hygroscopic compound (b) got a poor evaluation in the calcium corrosion test. Comparative Example 3 using ALCH which is a hygroscopic compound without having the structure of Formula (1) got a poor evaluation in both the calcium corrosion test and storage stability. Further, Comparative Example 3 passed the viscosity measurement, but got thickened during work. Comparative Example 4 using a hygroscopic compound having a ligand got a poor evaluation in the calcium corrosion test. Comparative Example 5 using ALCH which is a hygroscopic compound without having the structure of Formula (1) got a poor evaluation in the calcium corrosion test.

Having described our invention as related to the present embodiments, it is our intention that the invention not be limited by any of the details of the description, unless otherwise specified, but rather be construed broadly within its spirit and scope as set out in the accompanying claims.

REFERENCE SIGNS LIST

-   1 Sealing substrate -   2 Resin cured material -   3 Organic light-emitting element -   4 Element substrate -   b Spacer (filler) -   5, 5A Organic light-emitting device (image display device) -   10 Side-surface sealing structure -   11 Sealing substrate -   12 Resin cured material -   13 Organic light-emitting element -   14 Element substrate -   15 Organic light-emitting device (image display device) -   21 Inorganic thin film -   22 Organic thin film (resin cured material) -   23 Organic light-emitting element -   24 Element substrate -   25 Organic light-emitting device (image display device) -   51 Resin cured material -   52 Metal calcium layer -   54 Metal calcium layer after test -   R Curvature radius 

The invention claimed is:
 1. A curable and hygroscopic resin composition for sealing electronic devices, comprising: a cationically polymerizable compound (a); a hygroscopic compound (b) containing a structure represented by Formula (1); and a cationic polymerization initiator (c):

wherein, in formula (1), R designates (i) an acyl group, (ii) a hydrocarbon group, or (iii) a group having at least one selected from the group consisting of —O—, —S—, —CO—, and —NH—, between a carbon-carbon bond of the above-described hydrocarbon group; provided that, a part of hydrogen atoms, which the forgoing groups (i), (ii) and (iii) each have, may be substituted with a hydroxyl group, a halogen atom or a cyano group; M designates a boron atom or an aluminum atom; n is an integer of 2 to 20; plural R's and M's may be the same or different from each other, respectively; and *1 and *2 each designate a binding site to a terminal group or are bonded to each other.
 2. The curable and hygroscopic resin composition for sealing electronic devices as described in claim 1, wherein the cationically polymerizable compound (a) is an epoxy compound, a vinyl ether compound or an oxetane compound.
 3. The curable and hygroscopic resin composition for sealing electronic devices as described in claim 1, further comprising a solvent (d); wherein the boiling point of the solvent (d) is 100° C. or more.
 4. The curable and hygroscopic resin composition for sealing electronic devices as described in claim 1, wherein the cationically polymerizable compound (a) has one or more alicyclic skeletons.
 5. The curable and hygroscopic resin composition for sealing electronic devices as described in claim 4, wherein the alicyclic skeleton is at least one of a tricyclodecane skeleton and a hydrogenated bisphenol A skeleton.
 6. The curable and hygroscopic resin composition for sealing electronic devices as described in claim 1, wherein, in Formula (1), *1 and *2 are bonded to each other.
 7. The curable and hygroscopic resin composition for sealing electronic devices as described in claim 1, wherein a ratio by mass of the hygroscopic compound (b) to the cationic polymerization initiator (c) is from 0.5 to
 5. 